Of Swords and Spells
by m4g3rul3z
Summary: Ninjas aren't made overnight; they're made with a little magic from a fairy prince.


_Because sometimes a little fairy magic is needed for a half-boiled edamame to sprout wings like a soybean._

…

Mogami Kyoko twirled her batons with a vengeance, spinning the blasted things around at full force, nearly stopping traffic in more than one way as she headed back to LME from Kotetsu-sensei's dojo. Completely oblivious to the cars careening to a halt as drivers distracted by her hurricane sticks avoided her by the narrowest of margins, Kyoko paced into the building, not realising that within the hallowed walls of LME both her gloomy thoughts and her incessant twirling had already created a 10-metre radius around her.

 _Telling me to do backflips like a soybean out of nowhere! And embarrassing me in front of Moko-san! I'll show you Kotetsu-sensei, this edamame will sprout fairy wings!_

The orange-haired tornado huffed into the talent division office, whirling up a storm, sending the entire department spiralling together with her batons as they rushed to weigh the loose papers that had been sent flying with Kyoko's entrance. Safely managing to stop his paperwork from being blown off his desk, Sawara-san disbelievingly stared wide-eyed at the chaotic ruckus that only his first Love Me member could cause.

"Mogami-San! Snap out of it!" Sawara-san yelled from his desk, stopping the talent dead in her tracks.

The batons flew out of her hands, creating simultaneous indents in the floor and ceiling that were exactly parallel to each other, before Kyoko registered the abject shock in everyone's eyes – and then crumbled into a perfect dogeza.

"I'm so so so sorry! I just need to do this, then I can turn into a soybean!" Kyoko had somehow managed to wriggle forward in her ever-perfect dogeza, and was now bawling right infront of Sawara-san's desk. "Please don't stop me from becoming a perfect soybean!"

"You can become a perfect soybean elsewhere!" Sawara-san's vein threatened to burst out of his forehead, then his eyes softened slightly as he saw Kyoko's tears spill. "Is this related to your training for Momiji's audition?"

He watched as Kyoko burbled something incomprehensible and nodded her head. Turning to his computer, Sawara-san headed over to the resource booking portal of LME and with the magic of a couple of clicks, found what he was looking for.

"Well, it looks like all the dance studios are being used, but the indoor multi-purpose hall and recreational basketball court area at the back of LME is free. There are mats there too so you can practice tumbling if you need – MOGAMI-SAN DO NOT SNIVEL ON MY DESK."

"Really?" Kyoko's large honeyed eyes lit up with joy even as her tears continued to fall.

"Yes, really. Make sure you get the part!"

"YES SIR! THANK YOU SIR!" Kyoko's body completed straightened as she tucked the batons under her arms and spun around on her heels.

Sawara-san chuckled under his breath as he watched her skip out of the office. It'd truly been a whirlwind of a year with Mogami Kyoko in the Talent Division, and as much as he hated to admit it, he wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

…

 _Hope you're well. I'm a week early, but I've arrived at Narita._

Tsuruga Ren sighed as he sent the message to his manager, his blond locks still fluttering over his eyes as he stared out the window of the car that Jelly-san was driving. Knowing that Kyoko's audition for Momiji would take place in a few days, he'd been aching to come back earlier to show the same support for his Kouhai as she had always done for him. _Oh, stop lying to yourself Ren, all you really want is for her to come back to your apartment and cook for you and find out just how flexible ninja training has made her, all nimble and svelte and fitting lovely into your arms as you–_ Ren fought tooth and nail to keep Kuon out of his mind and heart, and staring at his reflection in the backseat window; his old visage rather; wasn't making it any easier. He was thankful then, when his handphone vibrated in response.

 _Welcome back! You're back earlier than scheduled, so I was surprised. I thought you might be tired, so I filed for some vacation days. So go ahead and take a rest! I'll contact you tomorrow._

"Jelly-san, Yashiro said he'll contact me tomorrow."

"Okay, then first things first, let's head over to see my darling."

The ride was over before he even knew it, and Ren found himself stepping out of Jelly's car at the more secluded carpark behind LME. Following her to the rarely used entrance, the pair was walking down the corridor to the service lifts when she came to a sudden stop.

"Oh no, I left your hair dye in the car!" Jelly sighed in frustration. "Go up to darling's office first, I'll see you there!"

Ren smiled as he saw the witch of the make-up world pace determinedly back down the corridor, the click-clacking of her heels slowly fading away as she turned the corner back out to her car. It was then that the sound of Jelly's heels was replaced with a noise that was way more aggressive and hair-raising in nature, coming from a different direction altogether, that made Ren spin around immediately to find its origins. It was a savage cry, a ferocious shout, and when Tsuruga Ren entered the old multipurpose hall, it was a raging fire that was Mogami Kyoko, leaping off the spectator stands of the second storey balcony and plummeting into a heap of mats on the first floor in an unsightly, unconscious fashion.

…

"Kyoko-chan! Kyoko-chan, wake up!"

Kyoko's head swirled. Where was she? What had she been trying to do? Oh yeah, she'd been possessed by Momiji, who had wanted to vanquish the rival ninja by doing a backflip off the railings. So why was the rival ninja still alive, shaking the failure of her body right now, as if in concern? Wearily forcing her eyes open, she saw a beautiful crystal depth of green, embedded in a handsome face that was so familiar to her.

"Corn…corn, did I manage to fly?"

As her eyes fluttered open, Ren's fear suddenly morphed into frustration, instinctively wanting to both scold his Kouhai for scaring him that way, and then hugging the love of his life to his chest. What was she doing, jumping off the balcony?! Yet, the moment he heard her call him Corn, with Kyoko tentatively reaching for his golden locks, he realised the predicament he was in. Ren then tried his absolute best to damn his immediate reaction to hell and react in a semblance of a way that Corn would.

"Just because I jumped off a balcony doesn't mean you can," Ren sighed in resignation, ruffled Kyoko's hair and helped her sit upright on the mat.

It was at this moment that Kyoko stared pointedly at Ren with her bright honeyed eyes, then proceeded to hug Ren tightly, with greater viciousness than she had been fighting her imaginary foes just minutes ago. It was Ren's turn to stiffen into a piece of driftwood as his mind completely stopped working, partly unsure of what Corn had done to warrant such behaviour, and partly because Kuon and his daydreams about devouring Kyoko had sprang back in full force.

"Corn, please don't go away like that again," Ren could hear, heck he could _feel_ her voice tremble as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. "You kissed me, and then you completely disappeared!"

"I said let's meet again, didn't I?" Ren felt a slight blush creep up his cheeks, finding his arms wrapped around her waist without even thinking about it.

"I even told Tsuruga-sama that you took my first kiss!" Kyoko had bolted upright in his arms, then looked distantly at the floor. "But he's not in Tokyo now."

Kyoko sighed as she realised she had been clinging to Corn for the past five minutes, and then slowly, bashfully unentangled herself from his arms. She hopped down soundlessly, just as she had been practicing for the past few days in the same multipurpose hall, slowly gathering her practice swords that had clattered to the ground earlier. Silently glad that her back was facing Corn, her face started to steam bright red as she remembered their kiss; with smoke coming out of her ears like a birthday peach bun. If anyone saw her now, Kyoko wailed on the inside, she would be called Momo-ji and not Momiji.

"Kyoko-chan, it sounds like you miss this Tsuruga-sama."

The twin swords she was grasping fell straight back to the floor.

"I saw it when I peeped into your head."

Ren, no Kuon, tried to stifle back his laughter as he saw her trembling figure, both pushing his luck and wanting to see how far he could unnerve her, possibly as payback for scaring the living daylights out of him and then hugging him senseless. There was nothing this woman did that didn't reverberate in his very soul, yet the way she was trembling now and how even her arms had turned the same shade of gaudy pink blush, Ren sighed as he got off the mats to help his beloved regain her composure.

"Kyoko-chan, I only come when you truly need me," Ren sensed that she needed more convincing, "and I'm also sorry that I couldn't be there when you saw your mother again. When the curse was lifted, I got back part of my powers, and I kind of…guided Tsuruga-san to meet you when I couldn't."

Kyoko's eyes suddenly widened as she whirled around to face him.

"Corn, that was you?"

"Partly me, but whatever else Tsuruga-san said or did was all him. I only led him to you," Ren smiled gently, remembering the way she had bawled in his arms that night in the park, and swearing that he would never let her cry that way again. "Now, you must need me again, or I wouldn't have been called here."

Kyoko stared at the ninja swords. She had become a springy edamame the past week at best, having improved by leaps and bounds, but still wasn't able to do the aerial twists with swords that Kotetsu-san and his trainers had shown her. Likewise, she had tried to jump off the balcony earlier like how Corn would do a backflip, but had failed in spectacular style.

Ren stared at a baton sticking out of Kyoko's satchel at the side of the hall. Picking it up, he concluded that she'd been training on her own time for the audition, although he realised Corn wasn't supposed to know that.

"I'm training to be a ninja, but, I just learnt how to do backflips a couple of days ago. With the swords, it's particularly difficult." Kyoko's gaze suddenly riveted on the baton that Corn was holding, and then stepped over to take it from him, her embarrassment fading and her excitement unearthed as she started whipping the batons at her sides furiously. "When I started out, I was told to twirl this baton. And now I'm an expert in baton twirling! Tell me how I can improve!"

"First, twirl the baton more vigorously," Ren choked back his chuckles as she managed to do the impossible.

"Now, put them over your head." Kyoko did exactly as she was told, with unadulterated enthusiasm.

"Great, you look like a helicopter about to take flight."

"CORN! How dare you look into my head and treat me like Tsuruga-sama!" Ren nearly doubled on the floor with laughter, as she huffed, set the batons aside and picked up the swords once more with a pout.

"Corn, I really, really need your help. Could you teach me how to backflip with these swords? Please Corn?"

In all his life, Ren had been trained to act flawlessly, to keep his cool, to kill his co-stars. But never once had he built the resistance to a begging Kyoko.

"I'll teach you way more than a backflip, Kyoko-chan."

…

After about an hour of demonstration and encouragement, Ren was incredibly impressed by the way Kyoko had been able to grasp the fluid movements, springing flawlessly across the hall from one section to another through a combination of handsprings, tumbling and twirls. Although nowhere near the athleticism of Cain Heel, Kyoko's Momiji was _physically_ almost ready, making him wonder what was holding her back in the first place. Other than correcting her posture and how she shifted her weight while flipping, Ren didn't have to do any at all than silently cheer her on from the stands. In fact, she had been copying his ridiculously flashy moves almost to a T since he'd started being serious. Maybe all she really needs is someone to believe in her, someone to pat her head and say 'good job'.

 _Maybe all she really needs is a little fairy magic._

"Kyoko-chan, you're incredible for a human," Ren stepped out from the side of the mats and placed his hand on her heaving shoulder, smiling gently, as she took a breather from her last stunt, "almost like a fairy princess at some points."

Kyoko took one look at his smile and blushed as she looked down.

"Corn, I told you already, not with that face and voice!"

"Kyoko-chan, my magic is fading, I need to go back to the fairy realm soon. But like you helped me lift my curse, I want to cast a spell on you to help you become the perfect ninja."

"What do I do? I'm ready for your magic, fairy prince Corn!" Ren particularly enjoyed the way her cutie honey eyes sparkled at him, the way her hands clasped together like a prayer.

"Same way you lifted my curse, through a kiss," Ren's head tilted into an angelic smile, "just like your first kiss, and _you_ have to kiss me."

"NO! I CAN'T DO IT TWICE! THE ACTOR'S HEART!" The swords she was holding danced unsettlingly near Corn's bright green eyes.

"I'm sorry Kyoko-chan, but that the only way I can cast the spell on you, since that's how you lifted my curse," Ren would never understand how he managed to be able to damn _himself_ for being the ultimate third wheel, then realised how twisted his mind could be when he muttered his next sentence. "But you seem very intent on being a better ninja. Maybe, if I transferred the spell to Tsuruga-sama, and he came to kiss you, you would be able to accept it?"

Mount Mogami the volcano was about to erupt.

"I…I…I'll do it! PLEASE don't ask Tsuruga-san to come!"

Ren froze in his tracks. Had he heard her right?

"I have to kiss you right?" Kyoko set her swords down, venturing nearer to the blond-haired, freakishly tall male. "That's all right?"

Ren nodded in the affirmative, kneeling down in front of Kyoko just as he had done in Guam, hoping and praying she wouldn't just brush her lips against his like the last time.

"Close your eyes," His fairy princess' sweet voice whispered, her voice like a dangerous tremor.

Kyoko outright captured his lips in a searing kiss almost identical to the one he had given her, lingering as her hot breath mixed with his. Ren's senses flared to life as he pulled her heated body down, nearer, till his arms were around her waist, feeling the softness of her plump lips and her taut flesh. Not knowing what had overcome her, Kyoko drew a sharp intake of air, sweeping her tongue across his bottom lip as she did so, before pulling away, eyes tightly closed, legs devoid of all possible movement, and still in Ren's – no Corn's – arms.

Ren took one look at this amazing woman, unwilling to let her go as his body, mind and soul screamed _SHE IS ALL MINE_ in his head in flashing neon colours. Yet he knew that Corn the fairy prince had to always leave with grace, and that he was already fortunate to have her in his other life.

"Kyoko-chan, the spell will take effect when you open your eyes," Ren began softly, "but I won't have the power to remain here. So close them for just a bit more."

Ren took her hands into his, and kissed her on the forehead, before letting go of Kyoko altogether, bewitching her with a muttering of his spell, and silently disappearing out the door of the multipurpose hall.

Kyoko couldn't bear to open her eyes, but when she finally did, Corn's words still rung bright and true in her mind, like bells on Christmas day.

 _Kyoko-chan, now you can fly, just like me._

…

Takarada Lory stared pointedly at the flustered young adult that hurtled into his office, eyes gleaming with intense mischievousness as he casually sipped tea from his selection of fine china. Jelly-san was seated at the coffee table opposite President Lory, looking at him with knowing eyes.

"Sorry, I had a…stomach-ache, didn't feel well after the plane ride," Ren began rather lamely.

"It's completely fine, Jelly and I were watching a very, _very_ interesting CCTV feed from the multipurpose hall earlier this afternoon."

Tsuruga Ren froze, then genuinely wondered for a whole minute whether he could really fly if he jumped out the President's lounge window right then and there.

…

"How is it that she's not pausing at all during the routine?"

"Not even for a single second. Not even just to take a moment and look the opponent in the eye."

"That's just impossible…how is she doing it?"

Even as Momiji fought off the hoards, Kyoko smirked inside and spun in the most elegant, silent whirlwind of pride.

 _Because I can fly, just like Corn._

…

 _ **A/N:**_ _Really wanted to do a Kyoko discovers her Momiji fic, and waiting like CRAZY for chapter 248. Review so that this author's heart will bounce like a Kyoko-shaped Soybean!_


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